“TDH – DAWN BEACH–Milton Peters College (MPC) students, after a drought of more than ten years, finally can call themselves Interscholastic Talent Showdown Champions again. The school swept nearly all categories at the Teen Times event last week Saturday and took home the honour of Best Overall School, which comes with 15 brand new computers for their school, powered by Chippie.
In front of a sold-out convention room at The Westin Dawn Beach Resort and Spa, the island’s largest school won the categories of singing via Edwin Barry and positive rapping via Rumari Rogers and Kevin Jerome. MPC also and placed second in the drama, spoken word and dancing categories.
Under the guidance of their teacher Erica Vlaun, the MPC students were in high spirits and confident from start to finish. President of Parliament Gracita Arrindell was present, stayed for the entire show and presented the winning school with the Teen Times Cup, a trophy the school will hold for one year until Talent Showdown 2014 when MPC will have to defend it.
The event drew so many people that many without tickets had to be turned away simply for lack of room at the venue, prompting Teen Times Coordinator Mike Granger to call once again for the construction of a performing arts centre that can house such events adequately.
Nevertheless, the audience in attendance was treated to energetic performances in five categories by the students of seven high schools.
One of those high schools, Charlotte Brookson Academy, a first-time participant in this event, also dominated the competition and almost snatched the Best Overall School title from MPC. Supported by a loud cross-section of teachers, administrators, family and friends, the school’s students won the dancing and spoken word categories and did well enough in the other three to stand toe-to-toe with MPC at the end.
The smallest and largest schools stood together at the end. “We will be back next year for more,” one of the Charlotte Brookson administrators proclaimed.
However, the win was especially sweet for MPC after being the punch line of jokes for years. “The biggest school is the biggest flop” is just one label that had been placed on MPC over the past years. That label was effectively erased. MPC started its preparations in August this year and from the start relayed that this year would be different.
The students were assisted by teacher Erica Vlaun, who has been with them step by step in their preparations, letting them be creative, but ensuring that they were properly guided.
“They were prepared,” Granger said. “It showed in the rehearsals and it showed on Saturday night. When you see teachers showing up with their students to rehearsals, you know those students are being guided properly. Erica did a fantastic job with her students.”
Defending champion St. Dominic High did not manage to retain its title, but maintained its winning streak in the drama category. St. Dominic has never lost this category and won it again thanks to powerful performances by Iris Hakkens and her crew under the guidance of their teacher Garfield “Papa Umpu” Young. Their short play was about date rape drugs.
The event also featured special guest performances by Teen Times’ greatest past champions: vocalist Keila Michelle and dance group Adrenaline SWI. Also performing was another guest dance group, Avengers, and there was a special guest judge: vocalist and songwriter Mischulaikah Richardson who won the singing category in this very same competition 11 years ago.
The show was hosted by comedic MCs Rolando Bryson and Norisha Labega, both formerly of Loud ‘N Lovin’ It, the Teen Times radio programme. The MCs kept the audience entertained with their own side-shows and “talents.”
“We will keep nurturing the interscholastic product because it brings out the best in our students. The pride they exude when they shout their school’s name, cheer for their schoolmates and wear their school’s colours cannot be equalled and should never be underestimated,” Granger said. “It is not about individual award for them, but what they can do for their school. We are very proud of all of these students.”
Granger thanked corporate sponsors UTS/Chippie, which has supported all Teen Times events from the very beginning, The Daily Herald and Minu Thawani and her team at Westin for their kind support. He also thanked all of the parents and teachers, DJ Eagle, Rick Latouche, the other three judges Kaisha Peters, Lysanne Charles and Duncan Van Heyningen, Megasound, Van Dorp and the government for arranging the stage.” http://ilandvibez.com/mpc-students-win-interscholastic-talent-showdown-2013/
Julie Alcin 